Custom / Concept '09 Challenger SportWagon: Back on the bench, Feb.28

[surfjunke]

Really fine work there, Bill. Love the concept & your craftsmanship. Would really like to see this very cool wagon/panel van finished.

[photomakersr]

Really great idea and it makes me want to see it when

it is done.

[bandit1]

pretty cool so far

[Ace-Garageguy]

Again, thanks to all of you guys who like the looks of this thing, and for the encouragement to complete it.

So what is a splash mold?

"Splash-mold" is just a term for a Q&D mold, not good enough for production, but with sufficient data-capture to make 1 or 2 acceptable copies of a part, or of an area of a part to be incorporated into another design. In this case, I'll be making one complete copy of the original hood, modifying it extensively, and making a mold of the result. The completed part will have uniform thickness, and zero filler.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[CrazyGirl]

wow very impressive Bill !!!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I mentioned above that I sectioned the body by removing the rocker panels and adding material to the insides of the body edges so new curved-under rockers could be formed. Then the lower door lines are scribed on the body in the new, raised locations. Here's the material added to the inside of the lower body edge, with a lip added at the top to positively locate the chassis height relative to the body.

Alignment marks insure the chassis will go in the right place to keep the wheels centered correctly in the wheel openings. You can also see how the added material has been shaped to curve under, like the original rockers did.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[CrazyGirl]

crazy talent you have Bill !!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Are those the wheels you plan to use? If you're looking for something different, I'd would consider contributing something out of my wheel stash.

Please carry on with it!!!

Thanks a lot. These are probably the wheels I'll stay with, unless I go for 5-spoke Pegasus jobs. These particular Pegasus wheels have removable centers, and I'll be using a trick I picked up from another forum member, thinning the backsides of the centers so they will slip deeper into the rims, and so providing a deeper chrome lip.

[Ace-Garageguy]

crazy talent you have Bill !!

Thanks Anne, but I've just been making stuff for a lonnnnnnnnng time.

[allparish12]

Subs... Great looking ride

Edited May 27, 2013 by allparish12

[pharr7226]

Your body work is incredibly precise. I love the tight tolerance on the new body edges. Awesome work...

[Dragon7665]

Too bad this wasnt continued, looks like there was a Euro Fullsized version built, if not a PS Version atleast...

Edited November 12, 2013 by Dragon7665

[kilrathy10]

I'm really liking this....I like what you've done....Lots of work on this one....It's gonna look sooo cool, when you're done....

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks for digging this one up; you must have read my mind. As soon as I finish moving, this one is next in line to complete. After all of the bodywork on Thompson's Challenger LSR car backdate, getting this one slick should be easy, and the guts will be mostly stock. Some of the materials and techniques I experimented with on the Challenger will carry over to this too...one of the problems has been keeping the scored lines in the roof sharp after doing the bodywork (they continue the molded lines that separate the center roof panel), and I've got it worked out - finally.

[Ace-Garageguy]

It's back. This is the first progress I've made on any model work since November, having been tied up with moving my home of 17 years (as well as my office, studio and 1:1 shop), health issues, and a host of other almost unbelievable problems.

I've put this one at the head of the list, because I owe a member here copies of 2 of the interim hoods I've made to get a "shaker" setup for this late-model Challenger (he graciously supplied styrene parts for me to work from, and has been very patient with all of my ongoing delays).

The pix speak for themselves. The donor for the roof, back glass and upper tailgate is the Revell Dodge Magnum kit, in case I failed to mention that before.

[Custom Mike]

I was hoping you'd pick this one back up Bill, it's a beautiful design! I like the original rims more, but I've been known to change rims at the last second....on just about every build I've ever done!

[Wonderbread Kustomz]

Glad to see this one back on the bench!

[TFchronos]

Beautiful work, glad to see this back on the bench.

[cobraman]

Nice to see you back on this project ( or any project ) : ) It's looking very nice. I like these 5 spokes much better.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Nice to see you back on this project ( or any project ) : ) It's looking very nice. I like these 5 spokes much better.

Thanks Ray. I'm going for more of a Mopar "the beat goes on" period vibe now...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ewp3EpKmZs

[1 bad55 stan]

I love wagons and this is so cool,great idea!

[DeeCee]

This is a great concept, really like the way you have gone about doing it justice mate.

[TooOld]

Being a " Wagon Fanatic " I'm really glad to see this going again !

Out of all of your projects this is one of my favorites .

[MikeBoyle]

Excellent work. Looks like a concept straight from Detroit!

[Hickeydesign]

Very cool build. I did a few photoshops of one a couple of years ago.